Maelstrom of the Sun
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: She'd always considered her spirits her friends. Her allies. Her nakama. Nothing less, nothing more. Then she found him, and she found her world embroiled in a whirlwind of passion. 8th in a series of NarutoxFairy Tail Oneshots! NarutoxLucy! Epic! Fluff!
1. Lucy

**A/N: Gyahahaha! Now it is NarutoxLucy's turn! I decided to go with an uncoventional angle in this story, one that few have ever done before, one that I hope you all enjoy. Questions and answers will be answered via review and PM if there are any! Now, Relax, Read, Review, and, of course...**

**...ENJOY!**

_S__top calling me your cure; because I'm too weak to be it._

_~Uzumaki Naruto_

**_Lucy_**

Lucy Heartfillia was in tears. She was crying, pouring out a lifetime of grief that had built up over the course of the last seven years. Nearly a decade worth of grief. There was so much that she'd lost, and yet, the world honestly expected her to pick up right where she'd left off? It was impossible. Absolutely impossible.

Seven years.

They'd been gone for seven years. Seven long years, which they'd never be able to get back. There had been so much pain, so much suffering, but these were not the reasons for which the former heiress of the Heartfilia family wept. She wept, because her father was dead. She wept, because there had been so much that she'd wanted to say to him and now, now all those things would be left forever unsaid. And in the end, her father had really, truly loved her. After all that, he'd written to her everyday on her birthday as far back as seven years. And to make matters worse, his last and final letter, the letter that had just arrived today, had contained seven years worth of rent in it.

It was heartwrenching. Heartbreaking.

Her father really did love her. After all he said, despite all he did, he still loved her. He hadn't given up hope onher, even though she'd never once answered any of his letters over the seven years of nothingness in which she and the other core members of Fairy Tail had been trapped.

It was almost too much to bear. Nay, it was too much to bear. She couldn't take it. She couldn't-

She was dragged from her mournful reverie by the sound of footsteps.

"Go away, Natsu." She mumbled.

"Natsu's not here," said the voice from the other end. "And I'm not going away until you talk to me."

"Loki!" Lucy yelled into her pillow. "Virgo! Make him go away!"

She waited. There was no sound from downstairs. Either Loki had left or he and Virgo were just lying low. Either way, she was suddenly grateful for their lack of compliance. A swell of emotions tore at her breast when the rythmic pounding echoed on her door again, gently this time. She could picture him; leaning against the door, awaiting her reply as he patiently stood outside. So much had been said already, hurtful words that no one could ever hope to reclaim, a pain that no one had meant to infer. And yet still, he did nothing but wait for her, like a lost little puppy.

"They're not here, Lucy." He spoke again, his words laced with despair, little more than a whisper. "It's just me." Before she knew it, she was standing. Then she was walking, her bare feet padding across the hardwood floor that led away from the carpet and to the door. Before she could even reconsider, her fingers closed around the handle, and it turned in her grasp even as she began to have second thoughts. Too late.

The door cracked open. Lucy was standing there in a black slip, her hair lying long and tangled over her shoulders. He had never seen her like this: barefoot, with her hair unbrushed and no makeup on. "You can come in." He stepped past her and into the room. In the light from the door he could see that it looked, as Kakashi-sensei would have said, like a tornado hit it. Clothes were scattered across the floor in piles, a duffel bag on the floor as if it had exploded. Lucy's whip hung from one bedpost, a lacy white bra from another. He averted his eyes. The curtains were drawn, the lamps extinguished. The entire room itself was plunged into darkness.

Lucy flopped down on the edge of the bed and looked at him with bitter amusement. He hadn't changed at all even after seven years. Roughened blond bangs framed his face, a face that bore three whisker marks to each cheek. He refused to look at her; those orbs of cool sapphiric blue studiously studying the floor instead of her face. Odd though it was, Lucy found this to be funny. He'd always sung her praises whenever she was feeling down about her "lack" of sex appeal. For him to suddenly be so tsundere, it must be serious indeed.

"A blushing fox. That's a first." She raised her chin, determined not to let the tears show through. "So I let you in. What do you want, Naruto?" He raised his gaze sheepishly a bit, looking as though he were torn somewhere between speaking and going back outside. Well if he did the latter then she certainly wouldn't be letting him in again. Not after the last fiasco he'd caused when she'd accidentally summoned him in the middle of her bath.

"Are you going to say something or not, Naruto?" Lucy asked, scrubbing at her eyes with the back of a hand. "Or are you just going to stand there?" She half-expected him to snap at her for the insult. Instead, Naruto just stood there, both hands jammed into the sleeves of the black hoodie he'd taken to wearing during their time together, his eyes fixated upon the orange-orange!-slacks he always wore. He said nothing. He did nothing. And she was absolutely furious at him for it.

Naruto was one of her Celestial Spirits. But not just any spirit. He was a very special spirit. He was unique. He could be summoned anytime, anywhere, no matter the result or the consequence. Most of the time he just summoned himself, appearing whether his mistress was in danger or not. Once, Lucy would have scoffed at the thought. Her, as an actual mistress_-even though Virgo referred to her as one-_was just ludicrous. Naruto didn't see it that way.

Whenever she needed him, no matter how trivial the task, he was there. Be it a weapon in battle or simply an ear to chat off, he was always there sometimes before she even thought about summoning him. He'd always been there, ever since the eventful days of Hargeon Town. It made her misty-eyed just thinking about those days. Back then, six months and seven years ago, she'd never once thought that something like this would ever happen to her.

The terms by which she'd acquired his key had been crazy and chaotic, to say the least. Rather ironic; considering that Naruto, being a fox in this realm, was just indeed such a being. A spirit of chaos. Wait. That wasn't ironic! It _was_ ironic was that he'd come. Spirit or no, he'd appeared before her once more, which could only mean that he was still honoring the terms of their contract.

The thought brought her small comfort.

"I...wanted to see how you were doing, Lucy." he said at length. "I haven't been able to contact you since Tenrou Island-

Lucy's face turned as scarlet as the nine tails itself. He was asking about _that_ again, wasn't he! No! It was no good! She wasn't ready to talk about that yet! Not ready at all! If he was here about that then this wasn't going to work at all! It didn't matter if y

"W-Why didn't you just appear in my room?"

"What do you take me for, Lucy?" He snapped back. "A pervert?"

_'Well...he did see me naked that one time...Kyah! I'm not thinking about that right now! I'm not!'_

Naruto closed his eyes for a second, only for them to reopen immediately. There was not so much as a hint of sapphire within them. They were now a deep red with black slits going down the middle. The whisker marks on his cheeks had also deepened slightly, and his bangs had roughened, lending him an almost feral appearance. And yet he made no move to come toward, nor did he attack.

"Don't tell me...you're angry too?"

Despit her angry glare, Naruto thought she looked younger than usual, her eyes huge and black in her pinched white face. The effort she was making not to cry was visible; her mouth was set in a grimace, as if twisting itself out of shape. She turned toward him, eyes shining. He was oddly, suddenly conscious of that she wasn't wearing much in the way of clothes, so he wanted to hold back from putting a hand on her shoulder or anything else overtly soothing.

He closed his eyes and shook his head; when he opened them, they were gentle pools of cerulean once more.

"Lucy," He began softly, "I'm not angry."

She had something in her hands, something she was turning over and over between her fingers. It was a small something that glinted dully in the half-light. He thought for a moment it might be a piece of jewelry.

"I'm sorry about your father...

She didn't look at him. She was staring at the object in her hands. "Do you know what this is?" she said and held it up. It seemed to be a small key. Wait. It _was _a key. Lucy Heartfilia was holding a key.

But not just any key.

This key was made of platinum, pure as can be. Teeth on the end fastened around its facets, shaped like a lightning bolt. In the middle of the key's head was an orange gem, ridiculously rare and not to mention expensive. It was a very special key. She turned it end over end and marveled at it; its sleek, tapered design. Warm to the touch, it held a special significance for her, even in its sealed state, a significance that surpassed even time itself.

Naruto couldn't help but smile at the sight of it.

"Is that...?"

...yeah." Lucy nodded.

It was his key.

"Its a mandarin garnet." she mumbled half-heartedly, "The gem, I mean. Everyone keeps telling me to sell this, that I'd be set for life if I did." She stole a glance at him, as if this might somehow ascertain the hidden meaning tucked away within those orbs of simmering sapphire. He sighed and suddenly, he was sitting beside her. She shivered. As far as Naruto went, things hadn't changed that much at all. He never ceased to amaze her.

"You don't need money, Lucy." he said.

_'Oh, yes I do!'_

But instead, she went with:

"Why's that?"

Naruto grinned, and it was a grin of such selfessness that her heart broke a thousand times over. How many times had she seen that smile and turned away; turned him aside because she'd been afraid of what she might find there? Countless times. He'd been her spirit for all of six months before the Tenrou Island catastrophe, aiding her throughout the chaos and strife of her life. Every chapter, every saga, every wonderful moment since she'd joined Fairy Tail had led them to this single instant.

"Becase you have me."

How many times had she heard those very words and taken them for granted? How many times had she ignored them altogether? Too many. That was the answer. Far _far _too many to count. He'd come to comfort her, and in her sorrow, she'd nearly turned him aside. Was it because she had the liberty to do so now, whereas she hadn't before? Back then, she'd never turned his aide away, not even for a single instant.

The war with Phantom Lord, where he'd courageously fought against two members of the Element Four_-and then later Gajeel himself-_before she was captured. In the Tower of Heaven, where he'd scorched that heavy metal maniac Vildadus Taka to a crisp when things nearly became too much for her without leaving so much as a single strand of hair of that madman behind. The battle with Oracion Seis, where he'd proven his loyalty to her and more, crushing the woman known as Angel beneath his heel as if she weren't at all as dangerous as her reputation had led the world to believe.

And of course there that had been the episode where he'd finally gone berserk on Tenrou Island after her merciless beating at the hands of Kain Hikaru. She'd never forget the expression he'd worn back then; that rapturous expression of elation, pure and sheer elation as he tore the Kin of Purgatory limb from limb. He'd killed two of the Seven Kin of Purgatory_-and nearly himself-_before they finally managed to stop his rampage. That had been only the second time she'd seen the dark crimson energies manifest from within him. The first was too horrifying to even speak of.

Now he was here, before her. So kind, so close, so...so...so...

She was drawn to him almost magnetically, and found herself leaning in to give him a tentative kiss. She pulled away only a fraction afterwards. He looked as surprised as she did, though not displeased. Then she leaned in again, more urgently, and their kiss had passion. Lucy felt him breathing against her, and accepted his arms as they closed around her neck when she began to pull away.

"Naruto, I-

He shook his head.

"That's enough for now. I don't want to take advantage of you."

"Y-You're not...

With that, Naruto started to silently move away. She quickly turned and reached out with her hand, grabbing his forearm. He froze. She took his hand and brought it slowly up to her face. His fingers cradled her cheek gently, fearfully, almost as if he expected she would vanish into a dream. Then he rushed forward, snatching her up in his arms and kissing Lucy with an urgency that almost overwhelmed her.

_'I've been a fool.'_

He was burning hot, even in the warm afternoon, and when their lips parted, he halted once more, holding her fearfully, as if they stood on a precipiece. Lucy reached up and gently touched his cheek as he had, and was surprised to feel tears there. She smiled, not all harsh and edges as before, but softer, nervous. And then Naruto leaned in and kissed Lucy again, slower this time. He dared to move his lips over hers, to feel her shudder against him, to taste her tongue over his.

His lips were soft, warm, and oh so inviting. She crumpled into him, the anger leaching from her features, leaving her strangely empty inside. But not for very long. For as she tasted his lips, she remembered everything. Those long, listless nights as she lie awake in bed, her heart beating against her breast in silent anticipation for his arrival. Scarce had been the time that he left her side during those days, but the nights...ah, but the nights were _always worthy of mention._

It brought back memories. Memories of the night she'd first met him. Of that fateful night in Hargeon Town, the very same night in which she had met Natsu and Happy. It brought back memories, of when everything had first begun...

**A/N: Flashback next chappy! Enjoy the NarutoxLucy two-shot goodness! Remember, please read and please review! I am writing these solely for your benefit and those of all the shippers out there! Reviews are like wine, and wine is the goodness that keeps my works a'flowin!**

**Next up is NarutoxCana!**


	2. Contract of a Maelstrom

**A/N: Here it is! The second chapter for Maelstrom of the Sun! Sorry to keep you folks waiting, and I apologize if it is in fact, short!**

_If you touch my master...I'll kill you._

_~Uzumaki Naruto._

**The Contract of a Maelstrom**

It came as less a surprise, more a relief, when he finally awoke.

At first, anyway.

His first clue that he had returned from the land of nightmares came when darkness truly fell. The visions evaporated and the voices went with them. For a very welcome period there was nothing to see or hear or even think. He could just rest, and be.

Then new noises began to intrude upon his solace.

Then new noises began to intrude on the peaceful silence: the whirring of rustling cloth, low-pitched whispers and murmurrs from someone, a fizzing, spitting noise that could have been running water, and other sounds that had no place in his serenity. His heart rose at the sound of the ocean rising above the others. The faint sticking point between each wave was horribly familair.

_'Where am I?'_

His mind clawed at the question, tearing it apart, piecing it back together any number of times.

Whatever obscure scene he had found himself in, it had passed. He closed his eyes and let out a small sob of relief, but refused to lower his guard all the same. The darkness had still yet to lift from his vision; because his eyes remained painfully scrunched shut. Whether it was a refusal on his part or simply his that his body coping with the trauma, he simply could not bring himself to see a thing.

Eventually, he forced his eyes open. Eventually, he realized what he held in his hand.

Uzumaki Naruto was holding a key.

But not just any key.

This key was made of platinum, pure as can be. Teeth on the end fastened around its facets, shaped like a lightning bolt. In the middle of the key's head was an orange gem, ridiculously rare and not to mention expensive. It was a very special key. He turned it end over end and marveled at it; its sleek, tapered design. Warm to the touch, it held a strange significance for him, even though he didn't know what is was.

And her certainly didn't know why he was standing before a blond, brown-eyed girl with massive tits. And was that a cat on her shoulder? A cat with...the fucking hell? Those were wings! The cat had wings. Naruto reeled for a moment, wondering just where he'd ended up, where that damned scroll had taken him._ Kami, I swear, I will never borrow another scroll from Tsunade Baa-chan's library,_ he told himself,_ Please, just let me wake the hell up from whatever dream I'm in!_

"Please, make a contract with me!" she pleaded, suddenly.

"Contract?" Naruto blinked, the word tasted heavy, like liquorice and thunder, heavy down his throat. "What in the nine hells are you talking about?" He took her in; this girl, who was asking for a contract with him. Did that mean she wanted to hire him for a mission? It was the only logical conclusion his addled mind could form. The last thing he remembered was hearing her voice, seeing the ship, smelling her fear as the men dragged her away. He'd felt rage. Deep, unspeakable rage. And then...and then...

_This._

...standing here on the shoreline, surrounded by the ruins of a broken, battered ship. Gawped at by this girl and a pink-haired teen who had the most peculair taste in fashion and seemed to lack any common sense. What's more, said youth was gazing at him with a mixture of fear and...worship? Odd. For a terrifying instant Naruto feared what he'd done. He hadn't. He looked down. Saw the destruction, saw the ruin, and realized what he'd done.

**"Hahahaha...**

Dark laughter tore at the inside of his skull.

He had.

Gasping, he tore his gaze back to the girl. Her gaze remained fixated upon him; not the key in his fist, but rather, his face. She met his gaze, those twin orbs of milk chocolate calm and steady, if earnest. She wasn't afraid of him, Naruto realized. The port town was burning to ash around them, the harbor was in ruins and a mob was slowly gathering and _still_ she was not afraid of him.

"Please." She asked again, softer this time. "I...want to thank you for saving me."

Saving her?

Was that what he'd done? Saved her? He hadn't done anything of the sort. It was coming back to him now. The screams; their planitive cries for mercy as he tore them apart, limb from bloody limb. He'd killed them. Murdered them. Slaughtered them. And somehow, someway, he'd spared her. He hadn't killed her, this girl who stared up at him with eyes of utmost amber.

Before he knew it, the key was falling from his fingertips. _He_ was falling, too, dropping to his hands and knees. His head kissed the ground as he groveled begging forgiveness for his actions. She might not expect it, but Naruto felt it was owed her. Anyone who'd witnessed the rise of the creature housed within him deserved an apology. At least he'd left this one alive...

"I'm...I'm so sorry!" He exclaimed aghast, pressing his forehead further into the sand when she touched his shoulder. "I don't know where I am and when I saw those men try to take you away I became so...so...angry. Please, forgive me, miss!"

_"Lucy."_

Naruto jerked his head upright.

"Eh?"

"My name is Lucy." The busty blond answered, suddenly struggling to meet his gaze. She didn't give her surname. Naruto didn't mind. Knowing her name, the name of the girl who'd lived, was more than enough. If she wanted to hire him for a mission, then by all means...

How little he knew of his situation.

"Anytime's good, I guess…

"Really?" Lucy brightened immediately. "Yatta!" She scooped the key, the one he'd been holding, off the ground, and attached it to the ring at her waist. Naruto wondered at it and its function, but found his curiousity sated as he turned his attention back to his fellow blond.

Now, what had Ero-Senin taught him about manners? Though it galled him to use them, he really didn't know anything else when it came to women...

His fingers scraped across the sands until he'd threaded them through hers, pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing the top of her scraped knuckles. He fell down beside her and she collapsed on top of him, smile curving against the side of his neck, sinking into his skin.

"I'll protect you with my life," Naruto stated firmly, still misunderstanding the situation.

Lucy turned red as a rose.

"Wh-When you say stuff like that, I...I might misunderstand!"

"What's there to misunderstand?" Naruto blinked. He was being hired for a mission, wasn't he? Was it not natural that he pledge himself to his client?

She panted beside him, hands on her knees as she caught her breath, ponytailed hair brushing the tops of her shoulder. She looked up, bright electric grin widening on her lips, laughter bubbling up from the bottom of her chest. Her knees hit the ground and she wipes the sweat off her forehead, licks the running blood from the corner of her lip. She had a bruise blossoming across her left cheekbone and she never looked so beautiful.

_Gods!_

Naruto thought this as a sudden surge of weakness overwhelmed him. He'd gone days without food and water here, wherever here was, and now, the effects were beginning to take their toll. Could he see through his arms all of a sudden? Why did the air seem to shimmer around him?

"I'm going to send you to a place where you can recover." Lucy explained, holding the key out before him. Naruto felt himself begin to glow and was afforded the brief glimpse of a starry filled sky before his concsiousness remerged and forced its way back to Lucy's side. Wherever that place was, he didn't want to go there just yet. He wanted to stay with her, with Lucy, for as long as he was able.

"You can summon yourself?" She gawped.

"I'm not quite sure what you're talking about, "Naruto shook his head, "But I do know this."

His knee brushed the sands as he sat beside her.

"I'll stay by your side then, Lucy."

_Now and forever._

**A/N: Ta-da! I hope you liked it! Regrettfully, this will be a threeshot as we enter the events unfolding in the current manga, with the tournament, and those CHEATERS on Raven Tail! I want to flog them alive! *Takes a deep breath* Calm down, Nz. Calm down...Anyway, hope you liked it! Yes, Naruto went utterly batshit Kyuubi crazy on Bora and the gang before Natsu could step in. Hence the hero-worship factor...**

**Lucy will explain to him exactly what he is in the next chappy. Remember, this is a flashback. Current events will be mixed with those of the past, present & the future and so on! Hope you enjoy it!**

**R&R! =D**


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